The Los Angeles Angels made a flurry of roster moves ahead of Wednesday night's game against the Kansas City Royals, the most notable of which saw them demote left-handed starter Reid Detmers to the minors. The Angels also placed reliever Jimmy Herget on the injured list and recalled bullpen arms Oliver Ortega and Elvis Peguero.
Detmers' optional assignment comes just over a month after he threw a no-hitter against the Tampa Bay Rays on May 10. He had started six games since, ping-ponging between decent and not-so-decent performances. Indeed, of the 17 runs he allowed over those six appearances, 14 of them were contained to three starts.
Unfortunately for Detmers, one of those dismal starts occurred on Tuesday against the Royals. He surrendered five runs on five hits and two walks over the course of five innings. His 41 Game Score, a composite measure created by Bill James in an attempt to grade starts, served as his third lowest of the year. (He'd posted his second lowest his previous time out, on June 15 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.)
Detmers, a former top-10 pick who will celebrate his 23rd birthday on July 8, has a seasonal line now that includes a 4.66 ERA (86 ERA+) and a 2.10 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Through his no-hitter, he had a 3.77 ERA and a 2.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
The Angels, 33-38 on the regular season, have churned through players in recent weeks in an attempt to find even short-term answers. Indeed, Detmers is the third of the Angels' last four starting pitchers to be demoted after their appearance, joining Kenny Rosenberg and José Suarez, who had to be returned to the minors after serving as the 27th player in a doubleheader last Saturday.
The Angels have just three other starting pitchers on their 40-player roster: Jhonathan Diaz, Davis Daniel, and Chase Silseth. Daniel is the only one of the three to not start a game for the Angels this season.
